could not have been a better place for diggers and delvers after truth, wearied by their profound researches in the mines of science; for there was none in which such recreation was to be found-a recreation literally of energy and activity, which sent men back refreshed and strengthened to their work, and, what was more, with an enlarged humanity, a deeper love for the fellow-men for whom they were laboring with such grand results. It was no mere compliment, but a truth felt in his inmost heart, which Julius Hare wrote to Lady Malcolm, when he said, 'It is impossible to leave Hyde Hall without being, not indeed, like the wedding guest,' a sadder and a wiser man,' but certainly a wiser one, and, if one were not going away, a gladder.' If a man could not be merry and wise at Hyde Hall, we may be sure that there was no mirth and no wisdom in him."

It was at this period that Malcolm composed his "Sketches of Persia," which were not published till 1827. We well remember the pleasure with which we read this book, when it was reprinted, about a dozen years ago, in Murray's Colonial Library. In the autumn of 1823, he paid a visit to Ireland, on the invitation of his old friend Lord Wellesley, then Lord Lieutenant. Here he was fully occupied with "walks, dinners, Irish stories, Indian tales, politics, sense and nonsense (which is better.'") Here also he visited Donnybrook fair, and we may be pretty sure that the " Boy Malcolm" gained the ascendant for the time over the grave Major-General Sir John Malcolm, G. C. B. the course of his return home, passing through Wales, he was capsized in a carriage, and very nearly sent over a fifty-feet precipice. For some months after this, Malcolm was deeply engaged in Indian and Persian politics. But in the autumn of next year 1824, he took a holiday, and set out for Scotland. We cannot resist the temptation to quote the following letter, so genial is it, and so well does it shew the happy, kindly nature of the man :"When we left Dollar, I went to a woman standing at the door of a house to inquire the best way to Tulibole. You'll gang just on till you come to a stane on the road; then ye'll turn and gang straight by the Crook.' What,' said I, straight by a crook!" Ay,' replied the dame, with an unmoved face; but it's no a crook in the road, but a crook in the river, which ye must gang by! Then, when ye're doun on a wee east (about a mile), haud west for twa miles, and when ye come to a road between twa dykes, which gangs north, just go down it and you'll see the Toun!' I reported the directions, at which Johnstone laughed. The Toun,* he informed me, meant the old solitary house of Tulibole, at which we at length arrived. Lady Moncreiff was not well, but I passed a most delightful day and evening with the old gentleman. Sir Harry Moncreiff, though seventyeight, retains all his faculties perfect. He is a man who mixes sound

The word is Saxon for a house, and the country people still use it in its original signification--J. M.

piety with great energy, judgment, and decision. He leads, and has long led, what are mockingly called the Highflyers of the Scottish Kirk. But to this evangelical party, Scotland owes the steady resistance to those daily attacks made upon her excellent and moderate establishments. An attempt is now in progress to give favorites and Government parsons to offices, such as that of principal* of a college and minister of a large parish. It has succeeded; but so much has been done by Sir Harry, Professor Macgill of Glasgow, and others, to expose the evil tendency of acts that by giving men more duties than they can perform, must either render them negligent heads or professors in a college, or unfaithful ministers of religion, as also the danger of making pluralists in the Scotch Establishment, that the experiment will probably not be repeated. I shall buy you Sir Harry's Sermons and works on the Evidences for Christianity, by which you will judge of the piety and strength of his mind. He has other qualities you would like. He is the most cheerful of men, and is full of entertaining anecdote, with a warm heart to his friends, and amongst the dearest of those the Burnfoot family have ranked for forty years.

"From Tuliboli I made an excursion of thirty-five miles to see old Mr. Low, of Clatto, the father of John Low, who was so long with me in India, and ranks at the head of my list of soldier favorites. I had given no warning, for I was uncertain to the last whether I should be able to visit them. When I entered the drawing-room, I found a respectable-looking old lady, whom I knew from her countenance to be the mother of my friend. I announced myself and she gave almost a shout of delight. She hastened out of the room the moment she had seated me near her daughter, and returned with one of the heartiest and happiest-looking men, on the verge of fourscore, I had ever seen. His large hand was stretched out to welcome the General about whom his boys (his son William had also been with me) had written so much. Their letters, said he, have contained little, for six years, but Sir John Malcolm, and here you are at Clatto! I told him I was aware he had heard enough of me, and was therefore determined to let him see what kind of a person it was about whom his sons, particularly John, had plagued him so much. At this moment Colonel Bethune, a son-in-law who lived near, and had come in, was going to send away his horse to walk home, but I begged he would lend him to me, as I saw the spires of the auld town of St. Andrew's at about a distance of six miles. 'It is now two o'clock', I said; 'I shall return by five, after seeing this once celebrated residence of royalty and present seat of learning. Besides, I have four old Indian friends that I must shake hands with.' 'You are welcome to the horse,' said Colonel Bethune. It rains,' said Mrs. Low. I will not halt long enough,' I replied, at any place to get wet.' 'Go along,' said old Low. It is exactly as John wrote us; and bring any or all of your friends that you can persuade to dinner. I have sent for my youngest son Henry, who

* This was done in a late appointment at Glasgow, and carried by the influence of Government to please the Duke of Montrose.-J. M.

is ten miles off, shooting; but the servant knows why he is wanted, and said he would find and bring him if above ground.'

Away I trotted, saw the noble remains of monasteries, cathedrals and palaces at St. Andrew's, shook hands with a General Campbell, who was kind to me as a boy; with a Colonel Wilson, who was secretary to my commander when I was at the wildest, and whose goodness has helped me out of many a scrape; and with Captain Binny, who taught me Persian; and with Colonel Glass, a brother sportsman. They were not less surprised than delighted with this flying visit, and it gave me much gratification.

I got back in time for dinner at Clatto, were I passed a delightful evening. The old gentleman, who had returned from India fortyfour years, married a Miss Malcolm, bought the estate, and built the house (an excellent one), in which he has ever since lived. He or rather she--for it is as usual the mother's work-has brought up a large family, all of whom are well settled in life. Two of the daughters married intimate friends of mine, Colonel Deas, and Colonel Foulis; another married Colonel Bethune, who has the adjoining estate; and one, unmarried, lives with Mrs. Low's sister, Lady Fettes, near Edinburgh. With the family materials I had, and the praises truth entitled me to give their sons, you may suppose conversation did not flag. But there was another source of pleasure to the old gentleman. Several officers who had been his friends as ensigns had by accident been my commanding officers when I went first to India, and I had been at the same stations he had. The revival of these personalities and localities delighted him beyond measure. He gave me Madeira sixty years old which he had brought from India. His memory was as fresh as if he had only left the scenes of which we talked a few months. I have to thank God,' said he, as we parted, for the health and happiness I enjoy ; but I was really beginning to think it was but a frail tenure a man of my age held life upon. This visit, however, is like a new lease. I shall live for some with years to come upon the recollections of this day.' Mrs. Low, whom both you and your mother would be much pleased, confirmed this speech next morning at six o'clock, when she rose to get me my breakfast before I went away in the Cupar coach. She gave me more calm, but not less sincere thanks for my considerate visit. I assured her I had gratified myself as much as I had them, and went towards Edinburgh quite in good humor with myself and all the world." "

After ten days spent in Edinburgh, he paid a visit of two days to Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford; thence to Minto; thence again to Burnfoot; and in the month of November, he returned to England. In May 1825, he went to France, and was present at the coronation of Charles X. The autumn of this year he spent on the Moors in Scotland. The two stories following are too good to be omitted :—

"It was on one of the land excursions to which allusion has been made (most probably on his journey through Wales), that being in the inside of a stage-coach he fell, more suo, into conversation with

a fellow-passenger. His companion was obviously a dignitary of the Church of England-a man of extensive acquirements, power and subtlety of argument, and force of expression. The conversation ranged over a considerable variety of subjects, sometimes eliciting concordance, sometimes antagonism of sentiment between the speakers. After some time, the conversation turned upon a topic of Indian interest, upon which there was a serious difference of opinion. Malcolm, as may be supposed, maintained his position with much confidence, and supported his arguments by the assertion that he had spent the best part of his life in India. 'It may be so,' said his companion, but still I cannot yield to you-I have conceded many points in the course of our conversation, but I stand firm thisfor the very highest authority on Indian subjects, Sir John Malcolm, is on my side.' 'But I am Sir John Malcolm,' was the answer. It is true that I did say so ; but I have since had reason to change my opinion.' Upon this they exchanged cards, and Malcolm was little less pleased than his companion, when he found that he had been arguing with the scholarly Coplestone, Bishop of Llandaff.

upon

"Another story, equally amusing, though less flattering to Malcolm, must be told in this place. Having need one day to proceed somewhere below London-in all probability to the docks-Malcolm hired, as was the wont at that time, a boat, and was sculled down the great silent highway of the Thames. He had not proceeded far when the waterman asked him if he had any objection to take in a couple of ladies who wanted a cast down the river. Malcolm's ready goodnature would have at once assented to the proposal, even if there had not been within him a spice of chivalry and a love of adventure which rendered it rather pleasing to him. But when the boatman pulled alongside the steps of Billingsgate Market, and took in two oyster-wives with their baskets, a cloud gathered over his face, he drew his cloak around him, folded his arms, and sate stately and reserved in the bows of the boat. The evident annoyance of the gentleman was not lost upon the oyster-women. They exchanged. looks and gestures with each other, and presently broke out into verbal comments. 'Didst ever, Bess,' said one of them to her companion, 'go down to Margate by one of them hoys. It's rare game to see the folks aboard them. There be such differences. Some will be all chatty-like and conversable, with something pleasant to say to every one, as though they had come out to enjoy life and make the best of it. Others can't make the best o' it, an anyhow; but they gets sick, and goes to the side o' the vessel, and it's all up with them in rough water. Them I pities, poor things! Others, again, won't make the best o' it; but they thinks themselves too good for their company, and they goes into a corner, and they wraps their cloak about them, and they folds their arms, and sits silent and dignified.'

*

*

*

**

"The effect of this, accompanied as it was with a practical imitation of the old soldier's dignified demeanour, may be readily conceived. Malcolm burst into loud laughter, enjoyed the joke, pocketed the affront, and took the hint. In the course of a few minutes he was DEC., 1857.

X X

discoursing volubly with the oyster-women about the mysteries of their profession. He was pleased, interested, instructed. Before he reached the docks he had added largely to his stores of information. And it used to be observed afterwards that Malcolm had a wonderful knowledge of the oyster trade; and people marvelled where and how he had contrived to acquire it.

"To think that I should have been such a fool in my old age," said Malcolm, when he got home and told the story to his wife I, who have been all my life priding myself on my openness and accessibility !'"

Although the narrative has now been brought down to the close of 1825, we must allude, however briefly, to the negotiations that were carried on in the spring of the previous year, with reference to the Governorship of Madras. Sir Thomas Munro being about to retire, Malcolm took the field as a candidate for the succession. The great obstacle to his success seems to have been the fact that his father-in-law, Sir Alexander Campbell, was Commander-in-Chief in that Presidency; and it was not without some reason that this objection was urged, although it was probably urged, not because it was reasonable, but because it was convenient. The contest was carried on for a long time with considerable asperity; and although Malcolm knew, almost from the beginning, that his cause was hopeless, and although his friends advised him to withdraw from the contest, he would not consent. The Court of Directors were on his side, the King's Government were against him. He seems to have been actually appointed by the Court, but the sanction of the Government could not be obtained. After this, there was a negotiation as to the constitution of a Central India Government; and Malcolm was nearly as good as appointed to it; but this also broke down; and it was not till June 1827, that Malcolm was appointed to an Indian Government. On the 13th of that month, he was entertained at the customary banquet by the Court of Directors, as Governor-elect of Bombay; shortly after he sailed from Portsmouth, and on the 26th of October, he arrived at Bombay. His reception there was all that could be desired. His character was well known; and all, from the highest to the lowest, rejoiced in his advent.

The most noticeable event in Malcolm's governorship was the "tame elephant" controversy, with which our Indian readers are familiar, while to others it has little interest. We quite agree with Mr. Kaye in regarding Sir John Malcolm's conduct as, upon the whole, right; and Sir John Grant's as, upon the whole, wrong. But in the progress of the controversy, there were, as is generally the case, faults on both sides. But although this unhappy controversy bulks largest in the history of Malcolm's